Massachusetts Will Appoint Interim Senator
Today, the process of ensuring that Massachusetts voters will get full representation in the U.S. Senate moved forward, as the Massachusetts Senate approved a bill allowing an interim appointment for the seat of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.
The bill, which would give Gov. Deval Patrick the authority to name a temporary appointee to the open seat, was passed by the State Senate, 24-16, following a 95-58 vote in favor of the bill in the State House. The bill will likely go to Patrick’s desk later this week, allowing him to name a successor to the Senate’s longtime champion of working families.
Massachusetts will hold a special election early next year to fill the remainder of Kennedy’s term, which runs through January 2013. The bill passed by the state legislature ensures that, between now and the special election, Massachusetts will have a full delegation of two senators.
